1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to animal traps, and particularly to a vertical rodent trap that is oriented in a substantially vertical direction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Rodents, such as mice and rats, are typically considered to be pests by homeowners, shopkeepers, and the like because they tend to devour food stores, spread disease, soil dwellings, storage and production facilities, and degrade fixtures and structures through gnawing, scratching, and nesting. Some rodent infestations may be dealt with through the distribution of poisoned bait. In other situations where it is desirable to avoid the use of rodenticide, or where the retention of the targeted rodent is necessary, mechanical rodent traps may be employed.
Mouse, rat, and other types of mechanical, small animal traps are well known in the art. Such traps may, for example, include a stand in the form of a plate, at which a clamp may be stretched against the force of a spiral spring, arranged around its turning axis to a loaded position, in which a lock pin keeps the clamp at the plate. The free end of the lock pin is then inserted in the loop of a locking means in the form of a movable plate, at which the bait is fixed (e.g., in the form of a piece of cheese). Such traps, though, are arranged horizontally, allowing the rodent to access the bait while crawling on all four of its legs. In this position, and with the use of all of its limbs, the rodent can easily snatch the bait from the trap without being captured or killed thereby.
Further, such conventional traps typically do not include means for retaining the bait on the trap, other than through the force of gravity. Thus, the bait can be easily dislodged. Further, with the rodent in a generally horizontal position, the trap may be sprung on any part of the rodent's body, without control thereover, which does not assure secure capture, or killing, of the rodent. Thus, a vertical rodent trap solving the aforementioned problems is desired.